NCAA Football 12 Title Update #2 Details

[MaddenFranchise10]

A 2 year cycle would be great.

However, EA will only allow non-annual releases if the franchise can incorporate DLC addons to supplement the game's revenue. A good example of this is the Battlefield and Mass Effect franchises.


To be honest, I wouldn't even mind a continued adherence to their annual release cycle, if EA would make the investment to overhaul the game engine. If NCAA/Madden were built with a newer physics engine, I could better justify an annual $60 roster/presentation update. Annual updates will never fix a game that's fundamentally flawed.

It's not the devlopers/programmers fault, though. The bean-counters at EA know their games will sell more copies if they include some arbitrary new feature (Mascot Mashup, Band Locations, etc..) instead of fixing the game's actual problems.

But imo, the monopoly has had a harsher effect on the quality of NCAA/Madden than EA's annual release cycle.

[northface28]

Quote: Originally Posted by SECElite3

If you think charging us more for the game would get us a better product, you are living in candy land bud. We would get the same product, at the same time, in the same shape. The issues we see with this game aren't going to be resolved by throwing money at them. There is a thought process here that needs changing. Someone has to come to a realization of the importance of thoroughly testing a product and making sure that the game doesn't get out the door with these types of problems no matter what.

Im aware of this, I was speaking under the assumption of 2 yr dev cycles, no bugs/glitches etc. But I agree with what you said.

[Kingfish]

Quote: Originally Posted by SECElite3

...Someone has to come to a realization of the importance of thoroughly testing a product and making sure that the game doesn't get out the door with these types of problems no matter what.

I have felt for years now that they don't want to release the 'perfect' game. Like the idea that the pharmaceutical companies don't want a cure for the ills of man, they only want to sell the treatment. If we'd waited until the 21st century to cure Polio, all we would have gotten is a pill to take daily!

But what I mean is a purely functional game would sell one copy and the HAPPY gamer would play it until the game company HAD to add such great features that they could lure the gamer to buy a new copy. Might take a couple of years or so and the companies don't want to do that. The model is better for them to cripple the games and patch one year into the next, year after year. You get a few new features and gimmicks and HOPE(key marketing tool) that the next years version will be better...but it won't live up to what the gamers want either.

I will point to the last version of College Hoops. It was released with bugs some that had been in the system for a couple of years. They released a patch early and still it had bugs and glitches. Then, the word came out that the game was cancelled and BOOM, the 2nd patch seemed to fix every single issue! It was a damn near perfect game!

Its my belief that wouldn't have happened if there was going to be a version the next year. They would have saved that 'patch' for the next title if we would have EVER had that kind of dedication to the game.

The money is there. They don't need to complete the game by the deadline, we will buy it. They don't need to fix the issues in this years game cause we have short attention spans and we will still buy next years game cause we HOPE the game will be better. There isn't money in testing or in a full dedication to fixing ALL the issues(or even the majority)...why? Cause we have proven we will still throw down our money based on nothing but HOPE.

We hope the game will be better...

[DJ]

Quote: Originally Posted by bkrich83

Then you're doubling your development costs or at least the cost in man hours. I doubt EA is up for that.

You are probably correct. I was throwing out a scenario that has proven success, although I am only going by sales figures as I don't play FPS games. But, I would think the gameplay must be good to produce the sales figures it does.

[bkrich83]

Quote: Originally Posted by NDAlum

Sadly you'll be insulted because you don't join in the hate.

Unfortunately your prediction came true. This scenario continues to play out far too often around here.

[Mobaby]

Will I have to restart my dynasty for the patch to take effect?

[SECElit3]

I don't think it is hate as much as it is disappointment.

Year in and year out we trust that EA will release the game we all believe they can. Some people own consoles just for this game, I know, I am one. There is no game release I anticipate as much as this one. I look forward to starting my dynasty and very much look forward to the future patch.

Now we wait...

[smoove7]

So what would we all do if they did release the perfect football game? Then next year there is really nothing they could do to make it better because it is already perfect.

IDK how I would feel if they released the perfect game and I knew it was perfect, then next year I know I am going to get the exact same thing....

Ding ding ding....why buy next years, I already have the perfect game!